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Applying to only one medical school

Due to health problems and my living outside the UK, I will not be able to do 4 interviews as flights etc. will be expensive and it will be hard for me to recover as travelling puts a lot of strain on my body. I was considering applying for a completely different course, but I really want to do medicine - and I believe I would regret it if I didn't apply to an Oxbridge college. So I'm toying with the idea of applying for medicine at Oxford or Cambridge, and for another course at 4 other universities. Is this doable?

Alternatively, are there any medical schools which don't interview?
And, do the universities see which other courses I've applied to? If they do, would it be a disadvantage that I've only applied to one medical school (as lack of commitment, passion for medicine, etc)?

M.

Reply 1

bex_26797

14

Edit: Just realised from your first post that you are only in the first year of a-levels hence what I previously said foesnt apply.

You have an opportunity to apply for oxbridge if you attain amazing grades,
The health problems may count as extenuating circumstances.

No offence but if you "really want to apply for medicine" why are you applying to only one medicine course when you can apply to uptp four.

Have you got good work experience? You will have to write a strong personal statement to attain an interview.

No the universities don't see the courses that you are applying for in other universities so don't worry about that aspect,

Hope this helps!!

Reply 2

dreamer*girl

1

Southampton doesnt interview, so you'll need a really strong personal statement to replace that.

And nope, universities won't know for which other courses you've applied to, unless you've applied for them in their same university. do you get what i mean? (don't know how to explain it properly) :p:

for example. say you've applied for both medicine AND chemical engineering in southampton. southampton will only know you've applied for those two courses. and yeap, it would be a disadvantage if the courses are too different from each other (it wouldnt be if you chose to do biomedical sciences and medicine for example)

good luck :smile:

Reply 3

Wangers

16

If you rush you can still get the applications in - although you'd have to pay through the nose for the BMAT. Although I am curious which other courses you plan on applying to - the PS is going to be difficult to rush in a week - mine took 3!

Best of luck :biggrin:

Reply 4

digitalis

17

Where do you start with this post...Have you not done any research into your universities yet? It's clear in every prospectus whether they interview or not.
What about your personal statement? Do you honestly think the medical school you apply for will be chuffed to read an engineering PS for your application, or vice versa?

Do you really want to do medicine or go to an "Oxbridge college"?

Reply 5

bex_26797

14

digitalis

Where do you start with this post...Have you not done any research into your universities yet? It's clear in every prospectus whether they interview or not.
What about your personal statement? Do you honestly think the medical school you apply for will be chuffed to read an engineering PS for your application, or vice versa?

Do you really want to do medicine or go to an "Oxbridge college"?

I concur, especially for competitive universities your personal statement has to show passion and commitment thus by applying for different courses means your personal statement has to be extensively tailored, looking a bit dodgy and non-commital.

Reply 6

MashaL

OP

I'm sorry, my previous post was a bit confusing. I can't travel to England for four interviews as my health will not allow it, but I could be able to do one trip - i.e. one interview.
I really want to study at Oxford/Cambridge because I love the way the course is laid out - the science in the first 3 years and then the clinical course. I would not apply to an Oxbridge college just because of its supposed prestige.
And the other courses I'll apply for would be Biomedical Science and Medical Genetics.
I have read a lot of prospectuses but I couldn't seem to find a university which doesn't interview - maybe I just didn't look thoroughly enough. I also assumed that since the popularity of medicine is so great, universities had to interview as most of the applicants will have near perfect applications.

M.

By the way - I'm just starting my as-levels, so this is not just a spur-of-the-moment thing I decided to do.

Reply 7

digitalis

17

OK, sorry for being a little harsh in my post...that cleared up a lot of things :smile:

Southampton doesn't interview, Leeds doesn't interview international applicants and Edinburgh doesn't interview (I think? Don't quote me on this one)

Best of luck!

Reply 8

Xx Tomásíona - Mháire xX

14

To be fair, if you were to apply for other subjects they can ask for interviews as well. I think, if you could ask them to arrange interviews in sight of your condition they may be a little more lenient, maybe hold it over the phone etc?

Reply 9

MashaL

OP

Thanks for all the replies!

Xx Tomásíona - Mháire xX: When applying for the other courses, I'll only be applying for universities which don't interview for that particular course.

M.

Reply 10

bosongyin

by the way, biomedical science at sheffiled doesn't interview.

Reply 11

bright star

1

they're not going to interview you on the phone!!! however, you could apply to four medicine courses to increase your chance of getting an interview, then choose after that which ones you're gonna go to.

Reply 12

Saffie

11

just apply for 4 medicine courses or you won't get in.

you can try and rearrange interviews if you're travelling, so say cambridge wanted to interview you at the start of december, you could rearrange it to january/february, by which time you might have another interview which you could rearrange so you only have to travel to England once.

Reply 13

bright star

1

i dunno why i'm giving sensible advice here, when all i really want to say is that i think it's a ridiculous idea!! what's the cost of a plane fair when you compare it to the rest of your life......

Reply 14

rosetinted

2

If you want to apply for medicine then apply for it at as many places you are able to, you will kick yourself if you apply to just one and then don't get an interview. Worry about how to organise interviews if and when you get them.

If taking several trips to the UK isn't an option then take one trip and schedule all the interviews into it. I'm sure if you contact the universities once you've been offered an interview they will be accommodating, as you're an overseas student and have health problems.

Reply 15

Saffie

11

bright star

i dunno why i'm giving sensible advice here, when all i really want to say is that i think it's a ridiculous idea!! what's the cost of a plane fair when you compare it to the rest of your life......

yeah what's with all the stupid threads here ARGH. I come on here to chill not get annoyed!

Reply 16

Wangers

16

Saffie

just apply for 4 medicine courses or you won't get in.

you can try and rearrange interviews if you're travelling, so say cambridge wanted to interview you at the start of december, you could rearrange it to january/february, by which time you might have another interview which you could rearrange so you only have to travel to England once.

O hate to put a dampener on things, but Cambridge give out offers in Jan, with a summer pool of those who nearly made it, so Feb interviews are not likely. However get your Headmaster to inform them that you have a medical condition - along with a doctors backup note - and they might be more accommodating - eg webcam/conference style interview.

Reply 17

Speedbird2008

3

1 - You can't apply to 5 Medical Schools, just 4
2 - You can only apply to Oxford OR Cambridge, not both

Anyways, why not apply to 4 Medical Schools, it seems really stupid not doing so! Medicine is one of THE most competitive course, why reduce your chances?!